Weed (symbol)
Weed is a symbol of teenage carelessness. Evie does it for fun, because she wants her best friend’s brother to pay attention to her and she wants to look more mature, but it only emphasizes her teenage carelessness. In fact, “weed” helps them to escape from the real life they have to a world that is free of responsibilities, annoying parents, boring classmates, dramas and whatnot. As soon as their thoughts start “softening,” all the troubles disappear. It seems that “high vibes” are the only one thing they really need.
The ranch (allegory)
The ranch is allegory that is supposed to represent a new world, a new kind of society. It is so different, not just like other farms where only hard work and diligence are tolerated. Russell’s cult believes that they are “starting a new kind of society.” It is supposed to be “free from racism, free from exclusion, free from hierarchy.” The people who live on this farm are “in service of deeper love.” Unfortunately, the ranch is not innocent and flawless at all. Just like any other cult leader, Russell uses his followers, feeding them with blatant lies.
Mulling over (motif)
Evie has never really got over the tragedy. She is not a murderer, she is really innocent, even the majority of the most diligent investigators forgot to mention her name on the lists of Russell’s followers. However, “there are times” when she tries to guess “what part” she “might have played.” “What amount would belong” to her. It is “easiest to think” that she “wouldn’t have done anything,” like she “would have stopped them.” But “there was another possibility that slouched along, insistent and unseen.” Maybe she “would have done something, too.”
